Phys.org news tagged with:junk dnahttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Rare evolutionary event detected in the labIt took nearly a half trillion tries before researchers at The University of Texas at Austin witnessed a rare event and perhaps solved an evolutionary puzzle about how introns, non-coding sequences of DNA located within genes, multiply in a genome. The results, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, address fundamental questions about the evolution of new species and could expand our understanding of gene expression and the causes of diseases such as cancer.http://phys.org/news/2016-05-rare-evolutionary-event-university-texas.html
Biotechnology Mon, 23 May 2016 15:00:06 ESTnews383233793DNA dumpster divingSince the 1960s, it's largely been assumed that most of the DNA in the human genome was junk. It didn't encode proteins—the main activity of our genes— so it was assumed to serve no purpose. But Assistant Professor of Biology Nelson Lau is among a new generation of scientists questioning that hypothesis. His findings suggest we've been wrong about junk DNA and it may be time for a reappraisal. If we want to understand how our bodies work, we need to start picking through our genetic garbage.http://phys.org/news/2016-01-dna-dumpster.html
Biotechnology Wed, 13 Jan 2016 07:50:01 ESTnews371893207Sex, genes, the Y chromosome and the future of menThe Y chromosome, that little chain of genes that determines the sex of humans, is not as tough as you might think. In fact, if we look at the Y chromosome over the course of our evolution we've seen it shrink at an alarming rate.http://phys.org/news/2014-11-sex-genes-chromosome-future-men.html
Biotechnology Fri, 14 Nov 2014 07:50:02 ESTnews335170873What happens when good genes get lost?Scientifically speaking, there is no bad DNA, though we like to blame it for unruly hair, klutziness or poor gardening skills. There is, however, junk DNA.http://phys.org/news/2014-10-good-genes-lost.html
Cell & Microbiology Wed, 01 Oct 2014 09:38:12 ESTnews331375082Innovation to turn 'junk DNA' into genetic markersA series of the Next-Generation Sequencer (NGS) applications are being developed to utilize 'junk DNA' as distinctive genetic analysis systems for crop species.http://phys.org/news/2014-09-junk-dna-genetic-markers.html
Biotechnology Tue, 30 Sep 2014 06:30:01 ESTnews331275249DNA of 'Evolution Canyon' fruit flies reveals drivers of evolutionary changeScientists have long puzzled over the genetic differences between fruit flies that live hardly a puddle jump apart in a natural environment known as "Evolution Canyon" in Mount Carmel, Israel.http://phys.org/news/2014-07-dna-evolution-canyon-fruit-flies.html
Biotechnology Mon, 07 Jul 2014 15:00:02 ESTnews323959467New functions for 'junk' DNA?DNA is the molecule that encodes the genetic instructions enabling a cell to produce the thousands of proteins it typically needs. The linear sequence of the A, T, C, and G bases in what is called coding DNA determines the particular protein that a short segment of DNA, known as a gene, will encode. But in many organisms, there is much more DNA in a cell than is needed to code for all the necessary proteins. This non-coding DNA was often referred to as "junk" DNA because it seemed unnecessary. But in retrospect, we did not yet understand the function of these seemingly unnecessary DNA sequences.http://phys.org/news/2014-03-functions-junk-dna.html
Biotechnology Mon, 31 Mar 2014 16:36:41 ESTnews315502591Geneticists show COPIA-R7 transposon enhances immunity of its host against pathogenic microorganism(Phys.org) —Transposons are DNA elements that can multiply and change their location within an organism's genome. Discovered in the 1940s, for years they were thought to be unimportant and were called "junk DNA." Also referred to as transposable elements and jumping genes, they are snippets of "selfish DNA" that spread in their host genomes serving no other biological purpose but their own existence.http://phys.org/news/2013-08-geneticists-copia-r7-transposon-immunity-host.html
Biotechnology Thu, 15 Aug 2013 09:11:08 ESTnews295776655Genomic atlas of gene switches in plants provides roadmap for crop researchWhat allows certain plants to survive freezing and thrive in the Canadian climate, while others are sensitive to the slightest drop in temperature? Those that flourish activate specific genes at just the right time—but the way gene activation is controlled remains poorly understood.http://phys.org/news/2013-06-genomic-atlas-gene-roadmap-crop.html
Biotechnology Sun, 30 Jun 2013 13:00:26 ESTnews291804867DNA found outside genes plays largely unknown, potentially vital rolesA new UC San Francisco study highlights the potential importance of the vast majority of human DNA that lies outside of genes within the cell.http://phys.org/news/2013-06-dna-genes-largely-unknown-potentially.html
Biotechnology Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:32:08 ESTnews291475910Biologists reveal how cells control the direction in which the genome is readMIT biologists have discovered a mechanism that allows cells to read their own DNA in the correct direction and prevents them from copying most of the so-called "junk DNA" that makes up long stretches of our genome.http://phys.org/news/2013-06-biologists-reveal-cells-genome.html
Biotechnology Mon, 24 Jun 2013 09:38:36 ESTnews291285508Carnivorous bladderwort genome contradicts notion that vast quantities of noncoding DNA crucial for complex lifeGenes make up about 2 percent of the human genome. The rest consists of a genetic material known as noncoding DNA, and scientists have spent years puzzling over why this material exists in such voluminous quantities.http://phys.org/news/2013-05-carnivorous-bladderwort-genome-contradicts-notion.html
Biotechnology Sun, 12 May 2013 13:00:06 ESTnews287575375Novel way plants pass traits to next generation found: Inheritance behavior in corn breaks accepted rules of geneticsNew research explains how certain traits can pass down from one generation to the next – at least in plants – without following the accepted rules of genetics.http://phys.org/news/2013-03-traits-inheritance-behavior-corn-genetics.html
Biotechnology Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:24:19 ESTnews283515838Dark matter made visible before the final cutResearch findings from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine are shining a light on an important regulatory role performed by the so-called dark matter, or "junk DNA," within each of our genes.http://phys.org/news/2013-01-dark-visible.html
Cell & Microbiology Mon, 07 Jan 2013 09:17:44 ESTnews276772632Scientists identify two transposons that are active in human cells(Phys.org)—Transposable elements—or transposons—are DNA sequences that move in the genome from one location to another. Discovered in the 1940s, for years they were thought to be unimportant and were called "junk DNA." But now scientists recognize that these bits of DNA play vital roles in gene and genome evolution, and are important genetic tools for genome engineering.http://phys.org/news/2012-11-scientists-transposons-human-cells.html
Biotechnology Thu, 29 Nov 2012 07:20:03 ESTnews273395984Transposable elements reveal a stem cell specific class of long noncoding RNAsOver a decade after sequencing the human genome, it has now become clear that the genome is not mostly 'junk' as previously thought. In fact, the ENCODE project consortium of dozens of labs and petabytes of data have determined that these 'noncoding' regions house everything from disease trait loci to important regulatory signals, all the way through to new types of RNA-based genes.http://phys.org/news/2012-11-transposable-elements-reveal-stem-cell.html
Biotechnology Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:26:00 ESTnews273158749New brain gene gives us edge over apes, study suggestsScientists have taken a step forward in helping to solve one of life's greatest mysteries – what makes us human?http://phys.org/news/2012-11-brain-gene-edge-apes.html
Biotechnology Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:05:44 ESTnews272109935Between the genes -- a making sense of genomic 'dark matter'A group of University of Toronto scientists have uncovered some of the secrets behind what molecular biologists call "dark matter" transcripts. The findings will be published next week in the online, open access journal PLoS Biology.http://phys.org/news/2010-05-genes-genomic-dark.html
Biotechnology Tue, 18 May 2010 17:37:17 ESTnews193423017Scientists discover 'traitor' human DNA helps viruses cause cancer(PhysOrg.com) -- University College London scientists have discovered that stretches of human DNA act as a traitor to the body?s defences by helping viruses infect people and trigger cancer-causing diseases.
http://phys.org/news/2010-04-scientists-traitor-human-dna-viruses.html
Cell & Microbiology Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:06:04 ESTnews191480743Junk DNA may prove invaluable in quest for gene therapiesScientists have identified how a protein enables sections of so-called junk DNA to be cut and pasted within genetic code - a finding which could speed development of gene therapies.http://phys.org/news/2009-09-junk-dna-invaluable-quest-gene.html
Biotechnology Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:21:34 ESTnews172754474Saved by junk DNAVIB researchers linked to K.U.Leuven and Harvard University show that stretches of DNA previously believed to be useless 'junk' DNA play a vital role in the evolution of our genome. They found that unstable pieces of junk DNA help tuning gene activity and enable organisms to quickly adapt to changes in their environments. The results will be published in the reputed scientific Journal Science.http://phys.org/news/2009-05-junk-dna.html
Biotechnology Thu, 28 May 2009 18:11:51 ESTnews162753069Research team finds important role for junk DNA(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have called it "junk DNA." They have long been perplexed by these extensive strands of genetic material that dominate the genome but seem to lack specific functions. Why would nature force the genome to carry so much excess baggage?http://phys.org/news/2009-05-team-important-role-junk-dna.html
Cell & Microbiology Wed, 20 May 2009 13:10:36 ESTnews162043805